It has been a long time since the last call for solidarity with the Belarusian anarchists appeared. Today we have to admit that the new wave of solidarity is needed urgently to help them out from the prison.

That’s why we call you to participate in days of action in solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners on 22nd-23rd of September (parliament election day is 23rd) .

Belarusian anti-authoritarian activists; Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Artsiom Prakapenka, Pavel Syramolatau, Aliaksandr Frantskievich, Jauhen Vas’kovich were sentenced to 3 to 8 years in prison for a series of attacks on state and capital symbols, and are finishing their second year inside. In October 2011 they were acknowledged as ‘political prisoners’ by rights-watch organisations. This improved their chances to be freed, as the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, faces pressure from the European Union to free all political prisoners. He has already pardoned more than 30 of them, but none of our anarchist comrades were granted freedom.

There are currently 15 people listed as ‘political prisoners’ in Belarus, Lukashenko has stated that he will freeonly those who write a petition for pardon, admitting their guilt and asking him personally for mercy. Five of the inprisoned activists have refused to sign, whilst Artsiom Prakapenka signed it under pressure but remains in prison. All the remaining ‘political prisoners’ are under pressure from the prison authorities to sign the petitions. Methods to attempt to force them to do soinclude; transfers to other penal institutions, preventing food supplies coming in, preventing and limiting visits from relatives, denying phone calls, delays and gaps in the receipt of letters, solitary confinement, transfer to a penal facility with a ‘special regime’, etc.

The anarchists federations that met together at the IAF Congress in St. Imier, Switzerland strongly oppose the fact that our comrades are now being traded for benefits from the EU and condemn the pressure that they have been experiencing. We call on everybody to protest on the 22nd and the 23rd of September [the day of the Belarusian elections] against these tortures and demand the immediate liberation of all political prisoners of Belarus, including anarchists and democracy campaigners. (includes excerts from statement by the International of Anarchist Federations).

A demo in London has already been announced, and we hope to have some more actions around the UK, including in Bristol.

Below are details and address for Paddy Besiris. Paddy would now appreciate support with letters being redirected by Bristol ABC:

Pleaded guilty in May 2012 to violent disorder during the Stokes Croft riots. Paddy was sentenced to 14 months, of which he will serve 7 months due to his early plea. He is a Greek socialist who was involved in various activist groups and recently moved from HMP Horfield after tying to unionise G-wing. Paddy appreciates letters, cards, newsletters and books.

At 4 o’clock in the morning of June 13th, 2012, the carabiniers of the Special Operations Group (Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale, ROS) raided about forty homes, implementing the so-called ‘operation boldness’ (operazione ardire), a crackdown against people from the anarchist movement ordered by Manuela Comodi, public prosecutor of Perugia. According to the regime’s media, a total of 10 arrest warrants were issued—eight within Italy, one sent to Germany and one sent to Switzerland—while 24 suspects have been put under judicial investigation. The Italian bourgeois Press did not hesitate to connect the arrested with ‘the anarcho-insurrectionist FAI/FRI [Informal Anarchist Federation / International Revolutionary Front]’.

As for Germany and Switzerland, the precautionary measures were ordered against two anarchists that have already been kidnapped by the State several years ago, namely Gabriel Pombo Da Silva and Marco Camenisch.

Among the names of investigated suspects are also those of some imprisoned comrades that are prosecuted for the CCF [Conspiracy Cells of Fire] case in Greece.

Informa-Azione will try to publish the addresses of Italian prisons in which the eight arrestees have been incarcerated, inviting anyone who has relevant information to contact them.

In addition, according to the independent Radio Azione, it is possible that house searches have taken place against three comrades in Naples, too.

Among the raided houses—where the police were officially in search of explosive materials and electronic and printed documents—was the residence of an editor of Informa-Azione; apart from other items, the cops confiscated the editor’s computers that were necessary for updating the website. The homes of comrades from Culmine (who are now under arrest) and ParoleArmate (one of them is under arrest, the other one is investigated) were raided as well.

Here’s the full details of the massive political party planned for Saturday 3 December in Bristol, with all proceeds going to maintain the work of Bristol Defendant Solidarity in supporting those arrested and/or imprisoned following the disturbances earlier this year in Stokes Croft and elsewhere. Organised and hosted by Resistrance, Kebele Sound, Next2Nothing and friends…

RESISTRANCE returns on 3 December bringing ya an all-nighter to remember!

Band lineup so far includes: A0S3; Autonomads; Cop on Fire; Spanner; No Choice; Primeval Soup.
Plus at least 2 rooms of DJ’s and crews, and much much more TBC.

All monies raised go directly to support Bristol Defendant Solidarity.Hosted by Resistrance, Kebele Sound, Next2Nothing & Friends:“Big shout out to the Bristol Old School. This is a Resistrance rallying cry to all radical ravers, partying punkers n serious skankers out there – lets have a political party!!! Recent events in Stokes Croft have persuaded us here at Resistrance HQ to drag our sorry arses out of retirement for a one-off riotous rave-up in aid of the Stresscos Rebels. We ain’t had it – we’re avin’ it!!”

Barry Horne was an animal liberationist who quite literally died for his beliefs whilst serving an 18 year prison sentence. Whilst in prison he engaged in 3 hungerstrikes in less than 3 years, the first two whilst he was still on remand.

Barry Horne was arrested in Bristol in July 1996, spent a lot of time on remand at Bristol prison (in Horfield), and was tried at Bristol crown court. His hungerstrikes were a political action aimed at forcing first the Tory government, and then NewLabour, into taking action to end vivisection and then general abuse of animals for profit. During his hungerstrikes and throughout his prison sentence until his death there was a masive upsurge in animal rights related actions, and some of the most well known such campaigns began, including at Hill Grove (cat) Farm and Huntingdon Life Sciences. Continue reading →

The latest list of ‘political prisoners’, compiled by Bristol ABC from a large number of sources, is now available.

As ever the updating of this list is a labour of love in these times of ever growing numbers of comrades sent down, as resistance mounts around the world against the horrors unleashed by the forces of capital and states everywhere. Whilst we endeavour to make sure the information is correct, we could fill a hundred pages and still not include all those who need solidarity & support – and thats without even having the confirmed info from many parts of the world. As it is, in many instances we are now putting in links to sources in other countries for you to follow yourself. Here is the list (updated 25 oct 2011):
As an open office doc – Prisoner list_Oct2011
As a pdf – Prisoner list_Oct2011

For an explanation of the need to support prisoners, and tips on writing to prisoners, see our resources page.
In solidarity with all those locked up and still struggling!